And I give to you – Perspective
Perspective is what we all need a lot of in our life. I moved out of a house that I built and it had everything just so – bookshelves a plenty, cupboards a plenty, entertainment and art boxes all built in and all there to be filled with all my stuff. Then eight years later I was crying salty tears as I packed all that stuff into boxes to prepare myself for the next chapter of my life. And later I was cursing that stuff because there was too much of it that needed to be moved, store, boxed and crammed into some spot.
Lately, I have fallen in love with a vintage redwood cupboard and shelving that came out of the estate of a woman, now gone, who had preserved said furniture in such a state as to make it glitter and dance before my very eyes. Read: I wanted it. Interpret: I felt I needed it.
The truth is it would be extending myself to furnish this house right now and there is plenty of time for that. Plenty of time for projects. Plenty of time to sit with things the way they are. And as my friend text: There is always plenty of gorgeous vintage furniture available. So I reeled in my expectations and reoriented my thoughts to gratitude of what I do have.
Delaying gratification is not something I’ve grown accustomed to nor had to, but it is a worthwhile lesson to learn so that I might be able to teach my child its value.
This morning, I was flying out to Nantucket for my gal’s trip and severe weather rearranged those plans. This might have been cause for me to think why me, as it now cost me a hotel room and another flight I couldn’t afford, but a few days ago, I learned a dear friend is going in this very morning to have her kidney removed and all of her female organs because she has suspicious tumors and right now they don’t know if it is cancer or not. So while I might bemoan my travel plans gone awry, I am acutely aware my friend has no choice this morning but to have surgery and her family has no choice this morning but to worry about her outcome.
As New York city floods, and hurricane season begins a week from now, again I have to bring awareness to a greater uncertainty that we all must live with, to greater needs than my own, and to be grateful for this day no matter what happens.